Is Sandslash Good in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Playthrough?
Ice/Steel Sandslash in Ultra Sun handles most of Kahili's Flying E4 and shuts down the Dragon trial. The move tutors add MoveIron Head for consistent Steel damage. Struggles against Molayne's Steel E4, though, since it lacks Fighting-type coverage.
Sandshrew has the type edge here and should clean up Ilima's team.
Hala's team hits Sandshrew's weaknesses hard.
Lana's team hits Sandshrew's weaknesses hard.
ElectricSteelReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou... (Ultra Moon only)
BugElectricReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou... (Ultra Sun only)
GrassReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou... (Ultra Sun only)
GhostFairyReceived as a Totem-sized gift Pokemon by collecting enou...
Sandshrew has the type edge here and should clean up Kiawe's team.
Sandshrew trades roughly evenly with Mallow's team.
Sandshrew has the type edge here and should clean up Olivia's team.
Sandshrew trades roughly evenly with Sophocles's team.
Sandshrew trades roughly evenly with Acerola's team.
Sandshrew trades roughly evenly with Nanu's team.
Mina's Pokemon outpace and outclass Sandshrew here.
Sandshrew trades roughly evenly with Hapu's team.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Molayne's team.
Sandslash has the type edge here and should clean up Olivia's team.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Acerola's team.
Kahili's team hits Sandslash's weaknesses hard.
Sandslash trades roughly evenly with Kukui's team.
Catch Sandshrew on Tapu Village (walking, Lv 30-33).
Your Sandshrew should hit Level 22 before you reach Molayne, at typical leveling pace.
How to Get Alolan Sandslash in Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon
You're catching Sandshrew first, not Alolan Sandslash. Sandshrew appears at solid rates in the encounters below. The step cards map the full 2-stage line with evolution methods between each stage.
How to Obtain Sandslash in USUM
Sandshrew is your first catch on the way to Sandslash. You'll find walking encounters from Lv. 30-50 across 4 total spots in the chain.
Step 1Catch SandshrewMount Lanakila - BaseLv.30-33CaveUltra MoonRate 30%Route 14Lv.30-33GrassUltra MoonRate 10%Tapu VillageLv.30-33GrassUltra MoonRate 10%Mount Lanakila - OutsideLv.47-50CaveUltra MoonRate 30%
Step 2Sandslash ✓
Sandslash Weakness
Sandslash is weak to Fire, Fighting, and Ground. Watch out for Fire and Fighting attacks, those deal 4x damage. On the flip side, it's immune to Poison-type moves entirely. With 8 resistances, the defensive profile is strong. Sandslash's physical bulk (base 120 Def) helps cushion physical weakness hits, but special attackers are the bigger threat.
| Damage | Types |
|---|---|
| 4x (Critical) | Fire, Fighting |
| 2x (Weak) | Ground |
| 0.5x (Resist) | Normal, Grass, Flying, Psychic, Bug, Dragon, Fairy |
| 0.25x (Resist) | Ice |
| 0x (Immune) | Poison |
What is Sandslash Weak Against
GoodBest Pokemon Against Sandslash
 Hawlucha Fighting | A | |
 Crabrawler Fighting | C | |
 Machop Fighting | C | |
 Charmeleon Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Charmeleon builds →Ember 4x83-100%KO Brick Break 4x56-67% | ||
 Mankey Fighting | C | |
 Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
 Arcanine Fire | B | |
Hawlucha Fighting | A | |
 Magmar Fire | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Magmar builds →Flame Burst 4x151-177%KO Brick Break 4x66-79% | ||
 Torracat Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Litten (Route 1 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Torracat builds →Fire Fang 4x79-93% Double Kick 4x28-34% | ||
Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
Arcanine Fire | B | |
Hawlucha Fighting | A | |
Torracat Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Litten (Route 1 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Torracat builds →Fire Fang 4x85-100%KO Double Kick 4x30-36% | ||
Crabrawler Fighting | C | |
 Poliwrath WaterFighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Poliwrath builds →Brick Break 4x103-123%KO Bulldoze 2x26-32% | ||
 Bewear NormalFighting | B | |
Obtain MethodHauoli City Interact Encounter Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Bewear builds →Brick Break 4x127-150%KO Bulldoze 2x34-41% | ||
 Passimian Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Passimian builds →Brick Break 4x122-143%KO Bulldoze 2x32-39% | ||
 Gallade PsychicFighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Gallade builds →Brick Break 4x127-150%KO Bulldoze 2x34-41% | ||
 Hariyama Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Hariyama builds →Brick Break 4x122-143%KO Bulldoze 2x32-39% | ||
 Salazzle PoisonFire | B | |
Obtain MethodHeahea Beach Gift | ||
 Houndoom DarkFire | C | |
 Incineroar FireDark | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Litten (Route 1 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Incineroar builds →Overheat 4x236-278%KO Brick Break 4x79-93% Bulldoze 2x31-37% | ||
Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) | ||
 Ninetales Fire | C | |
 Volcarona BugFire | A | |
 Blaziken FireFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Blaziken builds →High Jump Kick 4x195-230%KO Overheat 4x295-347%KO Bulldoze 2x30-36% | ||
 Infernape FireFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Infernape builds →Close Combat 4x161-189%KO Flare Blitz 4x161-189%KO Bulldoze 2x28-33% | ||
Passimian Fighting | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Passimian builds →Close Combat 4x180-212%KO Bulldoze 2x30-36% | ||
Salazzle PoisonFire | B | |
Obtain MethodHeahea Beach Gift | ||
 Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Volcarona BugFire | A | |
Blaziken FireFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Blaziken builds →High Jump Kick 4x193-227%KO Overheat 4x298-350%KO Bulldoze 2x30-36% | ||
 Pyroar FireNormal | C | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Pyroar builds →Overheat 4x294-347%KO Bulldoze 2x20-24% | ||
Flareon Fire | C | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Eevee (Paniola Ranch Gift) Available Move Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Flareon builds →Flare Blitz 4x193-227%KO | ||
Chandelure GhostFire | B | |
Volcarona BugFire | A | |
 Cobalion SteelFighting | B | |
Obtain MethodUltra Space Wilds Interact Encounter Available Move Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Cobalion builds →Close Combat 4x143-169%KO | ||
Incineroar FireDark | B | |
Obtain MethodEvolve Litten (Route 1 Gift) Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Incineroar builds →Flare Blitz 4x175-206%KO Brick Break 4x74-88% Earthquake 2x48-57% | ||
Blaziken FireFighting | B | |
Available Moves Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Blaziken builds →Flare Blitz 4x183-216%KO High Jump Kick 4x196-231%KO Earthquake 2x51-60% | ||
In Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Aggron's Earthquake hits Sandslash for 63-74%.
B | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemCustapberry NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Aggron builds →Earthquake 2x63-74% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySturdy ItemMental Herb NatureSassy Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Carbink builds →Explosion15-18% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySandrush ItemLycaniumz NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Lycanroc builds →Accelerock13-15% Stone Edge32-38% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilitySheerforce ItemLife Orb NatureAdamant Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Mawile builds →Play Rough15-18% Sucker Punch24-29% | ||
C | ||
Recommended Build AbilityClearbody ItemEviolite NatureJolly Moves
Damage vs Sandslash View Metang builds →Bullet Punch7-8% | ||
Sandslash Evolutions
Evolved from Sandshrew. Sandslash is the final form in this two-stage line. A massive partner pool for breeding via one egg group. Eggs are average hatch time. Defense grew the most through evolution (+35 over Sandshrew), and Sandslash peaks at 450 total stats. View every chain in the Evolution Chart.
How to Evolve
Breeding
Breed with Sandslash to get Sandshrew eggs easily using 218 partners from the Ground egg group. Notable egg moves include Amnesia, Chip Away, Counter and 9 more.
USUM Sandslash Best Moveset
100 Attack and 110 Defense give a solid physical profile, but 65 Speed means acting after most threats. AbilitySand Rush doubles Speed in sandstorm for a fast Ground TermStab moveset under weather support. Alolan Sandslash trades Ground for Ice/Steel with AbilitySlush Rush in hail. Both forms need weather to function.
Best Build
Sandslash best EVs are Attack and Speed
Physical Setup Sweeper Moveset
- Earthquake
- Knock Off
- Rapid Spin
- Swords Dance
Recommended Teammates
Moves List
Egg moves make a real difference. Sandslash gets Amnesia and Chip Away exclusively through breeding, filling gaps that TMs and level-up can't touch. Coverage across 9 types rounds out the picture alongside Blizzard and Iron Tail.
How to Read the Moves Table
Tabs
- Level-Up
- Learned by leveling up.
- TM
- Taught by a Technical Machine.
- Egg
- Inherited via breeding.
- Tutor
- NPC tutor (cost: items, BP, money).
- Reminder
- An NPC reteaches any move this Pokemon could have learned by leveling up.
- Transfer
- Carried over from an older game using Pokemon HOME.
- Event
- Given out through Mystery Gift events.
Visual Signals
CAT (Category)
How the move deals damage and which stats it uses.
A small dot on the icon's corner marks the move as contact. That triggers abilities like Static, Flame Body, Rough Skin, or Iron Barbs, plus items like Rocky Helmet and Sticky Barb.
Tier (S to D)
Each move's competitive rank in RankedBoost's system. TM, Egg, and Tutor sort by tier by default (best first). On Level-Up, click the Tier header to do the same.
PWR (Power)
Base damage. Numbers shown in a type color include STAB (base × 1.5). Hover any colored number to see the math.
— means no power (status moves) or variable power.
Sorting & Filter
Click any column header to sort. Level-Up opens with Lv 1 at the top. TM, Egg, and Tutor open with the highest-tier moves at the top.
Search filters by move name or type. The Filter button limits the list to STAB, Physical, Special, or Status moves.
Level-Up Moves
TM Moves
Egg Moves
Tutor Moves
Reminder Moves
Base Stats
It runs across snow-covered plains at high speeds. It developed thick, sharp claws to plow through the snow.
A long, long time ago, it lived in the desert. With its sharp claws fully extended, it can climb right up an iceberg without slipping.
Sandslash Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon Guide
In Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, Slush Rush changes the entire equation for Sandslash. The 450 BST doesn't tell the full story. Ranked C-Tier as a tank. Earthquake with Choice Band is the standard set.
Slush Rush is what you want on Sandslash. Every competitive set worth running is built with that ability in mind. The alternatives (Snow Cloak) work on paper but Slush Rush is what makes Sandslash worth using.
At base 65 Speed, it won't be moving first often. On offense, Sandslash is a physical attacker with base 100 Attack. Defensively? Enough bulk to take a hit or two. Best used as a tank.
For Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon, the core moveset is Earthquake, Knock Off, Rapid Spin, and Swords Dance. Earthquake leads at 0% usage. Earthquake provides reliable STAB damage.
Game Availability
Since debuting in Red & Blue, Sandslash has appeared in 20 titles over 10 generations. Along the way, it received an Alolan form in Generation 7, keeping it relevant across different competitive metas.
Click a game to view version-specific details
- Gen 1RBDebut
Red & Blue - Gen 1Y
Yellow - Gen 2GS
Gold & Silver - Gen 2C
Crystal - Gen 3RS
Ruby & Sapphire - Gen 3E
Emerald - Gen 3FRLG
FireRed & LeafGreen - Gen 4DP
Diamond & Pearl - Gen 4Pt
Platinum - Gen 4HGSS
HeartGold & SoulSilver - Gen 5BW
Black & White - Gen 5B2W2
Black 2 & White 2 - Gen 6XY
X & Y - Gen 6ORAS
Omega Ruby & Alpha Sapphire - Gen 7SMAlolan
Sun & Moon - Gen 7USUM
Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Gen 7LGPE
Let's Go Pikachu & Eevee - Gen 8SwSh
Sword & Shield - Gen 8BDSP
Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl - Gen 8PLA
Legends: Arceus - Gen 9SV
Scarlet & Violet - Gen 9LZA
Legends: Z-A - Gen 10WW
Winds & Waves